As promised recently, today, we’re giving you our review of the Wolford Neon 40 Tights. (Side note, I hate the word “pantyhose” and usually use the UK “tights” or just “hosiery” instead. Most people have no idea what I’m talking about…)

A few years ago, a friend of mine, who also happens to enjoy fine hosiery said “Monkey, come here, feel this!” At which point, I decided that everything I thought I knew about quality hosiery was wrong and that my credit card would soon hate me for it. Yes, that’s how I found out that Wolford existed as a company and I am both better and worse off for the knowledge.

Cost

There’s no sugar coating this. If there’s one downside of this, and really any, Wolford product, it’s the cost. At $50/pair, it’s not a light purchase. They do usually wind up paying for themselves with many more than the typical number of wears but that initial price is a bit of a tough pill to swallow.

Packaging

No-nonsense packaging. Wolford has chosen to use the crinkly clear plastic around a card rather than a cardboard envelope. I can’t say that I care too much what they use as long as it doesn’t destroy the product. I can safely say it does not destroy the product. The tights come folded around a card with pictures of Wolford products, much like other brands, but they even seem to be folded more neatly than most others.

Look

These wouldn’t be called “sheer” by any means at 40 denier. They’re not opaque tights but not quite sheer. We’ll call them semi-sheer but I don’t think that’s a category that actually exists as an actual hosiery category so you’ll just have to go with it because they also put it on the packaging.

We generally prefer true sheers but I can make an exception for the Neon 40s because they are flawless. Out of the package, the weave is always perfect throughout the product. For $50, they should be, but I’ve tried other expensive brands that don’t have the same flawless feel that the Wolford’s have. This is a signature feature of the product that makes their stuff worth buying.

There is a light shine on the black color we’re showing here. I’d say it’s on the low end of shiny. The natural colors (such as Cosmetic) tend to be much, much shinier than the black, with more of a powdery sheen to them.

Feel

Now for the good part.

Externally, these feel smooth but not slick. More of a really nice-feeling utilitarian than “sensuous” like the CDR’s we will review soon. They are so smooth, they seem nearly immune to snagging on rough skin.

The waist band is firm but not overly compressing due to a reinforced area near the waistband which eases the transition and smooths the hip contour.

Feel-wise, they’re present, you always know you’re wearing something. Fortunately, the always-present feeling somehow “feels like wearing quality.” During the winter, they’re a nice balance between sheerness and a heavier warming fiber weight. During the summer, they’re a bit warmer than you would typically want but not oppressively so.

The material also just seems to stay in place. No saggy gussets here!

Durability

Today’s test was MO’s first experience with them but Fiona has had pairs last months of weekly wear. This isn’t scientific because we don’t tend to timestamp our pantyhose but 20+ wears is easily achievable.

In the cases that they do snag or get a hole, it is largely our experience that they don’t run very much, if at all. Something about the weave is such that they remain very wearable even with a bit of damage.

One feature is that they have an invisible reinforced toe–you can find it if you’re looking for it, however it’s barely noticeable. The extra durability there is nice, but it’s hard to say how much stronger it is than the rest of the garment.

All that said, another friend bought these for themself and their partner on my recommendation and both wound up running badly the same night. This has never been my experience, so I don’t know if it was a bad batch or user error but I must report it here for completeness.

MO’s Take

I feel very secure in these, which is unusual in pantyhose. I don’t feel like I’m going to snag on things by just walking around.

At 5’2″ and 110lbs, I fall near the upper end of XS. I can get away with it but the small seems to fit a bit better. I just feel like I have more room to move and the fibers don’t feel overstretched.

The weave just feels consistent throughout, it looks consistent, and it feels overall like a very high-quality product.

Fiona’s Take

Even after a cat pokes a hole in them, they don’t tend to run.

They continue to feel good, even after repeated wears.

I’m never concerned about getting a big run when I’m out and about.

You have more leeway than typical on picking a smaller size before they run from being overstretched; however, they feel much better when the size is right so err on the larger side when choosing.

Choosing a size too small will probably cause the waist band to cut in too much.

Conclusion

9/10, would (and do) buy again. They’re extremely long lasting, feel good, and look great. I’d like to see them a bit shinier and have a more sensual feel, but as an everyday wear pantyhose, they really can’t be beat.